Automatic door closer



May 15, 1923.

L. D. NEST AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSER Filed July 1, 1922 Patented May 15, 1923.

isten HLQEQNIDAS 1): me ts pnrivnia, oo oRADo.

AUT MA DOOR L SER- .application filed July 1,

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, LEONIDAS D. VVEs'r, a citizen of'the United States; residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, 'liaye invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Door Closers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters oi? reference marked thereon. which, form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to "door closers ot the'ltype usually employed on heavy doors to: gradually and gently close the same.

' It is well known that doors, unless special means is'provided to prevent it, will close With'a slam, which subjects the door and the hinges "to excessive strains which damage t e structure and cause a great deal of disturbance; When the doors are gla-zed as is usuall' the casein oflice buildings, the sud den closing of the door will frequently break the glass."

' To prevent the door from remaining open and, to causeit to close slowly and gently it is customary to equip each door with a heavy spring that is so 'tensioned as to constantly tend toclose th e' door and also to combine the spring with a dash pot that will retard the'closing to any degreedesired.

"It the object of this invention to produce 'an 'i-mpr'oved closing means that shall be of neat and substantial design {which can readily, be applied to any door; which shall be provided with readily accessible means f0 timing the closing of the door and which s all also. have an accelerator that will come into just as the door is about to close. so that the entire force of thespring will come into play in operating the bolt of the lock as the door closes.

'fln order .to attain the objects of my lIIVQIP tion,,I employ a closer constructed as will be hereinafter described, reference being had t heacqela nyins dr w in which @Fig. 1 is aisection taken on line 1-1, ig- 2; i

i 2 is a section taken on line2-2, Fig. 1. -an d showsthe dash pot cylinder in elevaimrithra ts er o r ke w y to t h w.;- h een irie o s-fi isaperspaqtite were? a P01131011 f 1922. Serial No. 572,275.

a door and door frame showing my closer inplace;

Fig. 1 is a transverse section taken on line 44 Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of a door and door frame showing my closer'connected to the door casiiig'and to the door; and

Fig, 6 is'a 'section' showing a modified form of valve.

The samereference numbers will be used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

Numeral 1 represents a door which is securedby means ofhinges 2 to a door frame 8. My improved closer which I designate as a whole by'numeral is hingedlyconnec'ted to the door frame or casing-and secured to a bracket 5 which is fastened to the door. Referring now more particularly to Figs; 1 and 2, numeral 6 represents a cylindrical member of brass or similar materialwho'se ends are closed by screw caps 7 and 8; Gap 7 has a member9 near one side thereof; this member cooperates with part 10 to'form a hinge whosepintle'is formed by screw 11. 'Cap 7 is provided with out.- wardly projecting ears 12 into which is threadedly secured pipes 13, in the manner shown'most clearly in Fig.2. Hooks 14 have their endsextending through the walls of the ears of cap 7 and are provided with nuts 15. Secured within the tubes 13 are springs 16 whose ends are fastened to'hooks 14. The purpose "and -function of these springs will appear as the description proceeds. Cap 8 is provided with'a centralboss 17 which cooperates with the threaded cap 18 to form a packing box forthe tubular piston rod 19. l/Vithinthe cylinder 6 is a piston 20 of brass or any other suitable material.- Piston QOhas a' groove 21 about its periphery for the reception of packing material, On the piston rod side of piston 20 I provide an 'integral lug 22 which has it's ends connected to the piston 20 andits central portion spaced therefrom. A. hole 23 is bored through member 22 in alignment with the center otthe piston 20,- and the piston rod 19 is threadedly' connected thereto'. .A hole 2 1 is provided in the center-of piston 20fand is provided on one side with a valve seat 25 which cooperates with a correspondingly curved valve member' 26. A shortvrod'g27 is-threade'dly connected with the valve .26

and/has itsftorwardyend extending intothe tubular piston rod 19, while its rear endis sli dably connected with a bracket 28. Valve 26 has a rearwardly extending tubular portion 29 whose inside diameter is considerably larger than the rod 27. Aspring 30 encircles the rod 27 and is partly enclosed, by the tubular member 29. Rod 27 forms a guide for the valve 26 and assures that it will always correctly seat while the spring 30 constantly tends to maintain the valve closed.

The tubular portion 29 extends rearwardly so as to leave only a small space between its end and the inside of the bracket 28, and

v therefore serves as a stop for limiting the and has th'readedly secured thereto a nut 36 which cooperates with the end ofpipe 19to form a packing boXJ A rod 37 extends I through the tubular piston rod 19 and is of such length thatits inner end contacts with the end of rod 27. The outer end of'rod 37 is threadedas indicated by numeral 38, andthese'threads cooperate with corresponding 7 threads in'the nut 36.@Secuied to the end or rod37 is aknurled knob 39 b means of whichthe rod 37 may be rotated; The rod 37 and knob 39 form what I term a timer or the means whereby the-rate of operation is adjusted. Itis evident that if rod 37 is screwed inwardly, its end "will abut the towhich the rod is pivoted will pull the yoke3lto the right and tension the springs the cylinder 6 filled with a liquid such as 6 lubricating oil or kerosene, orany other end of rod '27 and serve as stop for the latter, and by moving the rod 37 to the left,,'it will; stop the valve from becoming entirely closed; this leakage space can be made large or small adjusting the posi-- 'tion of the rod 37. Secured to the yoke 31 is a rod 40 which has a perforated head 41 which engages the bracket fi, which is secured t0 the door andis held in place thereon by the'screw e2,

I When the closer is secured to-the door,

the manner shown in Fig. 8, it is evident that when the door'is opened the bracket 5 1.6, which will. then exert a force tending to close the door,

It is my intention to have thespace within suitable fluid. It is apparent that when. the

.p'iston is moved to the right by. the opening of the door, that the liquid will flow through I the hole 24 past the valve 26,,which will yieldto pressure exerted in this direction.

When, however, the door begins to close, the

piston will have to move towards the left I and this can only take place as fast, as the liquid canpa'ss from the left hand chamber to the right hand-chamber. In order to perinit the piston to move towards the left, the,

valve is held from seating by the action of rod 37, in the manner above explained. In 2 order to accelerate the movement towards the closing of the door, I; provide a by-pass or accelerator 43 which can be adjusted by means "of a valve 44. I It is evidentfrom'an inspection of Fig. 2 that as soon'as'the pise ton passes the opening 45 that the liquid can be displaced fromhneside to the other through, the bypass, and in this in annerthe rate of closing can'be accelerated towards the end of the stroke In Fig. 5 I haveshown how the closermay be attached to theinside of the door frame. and for this purpose the hinge memberlO is'replaced by .a crow-foot 46 upon which the closer pivots. 7 All the other parts of the closer remain the same.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of I valve construction in whichthe rod 37 is provided with conicalpoint-B7 which passesthrough a cooperating hole in the valve 26. The rod 27 is omitted as the end 37 serves as a' guide'to assure the proper seating of the valve. The'rate of closing. is I adjusted by moving the rod, 37 to, the right or to the left. As the rodis-movedtowards the right. a largerspa'ce is left between the sides of the hole andthe-end 'EB'Z with a cor- I 00' responding increase in the speed of,closing. From the above itwill appear'thatl have provided a simple and eflicient door closer that can be easily manufactured andreadily justed as to its speed of closing. i

Attention is called to .the fact, that the end of member40 is threaded foraconsiderable installed,and which can be conveniently 'addistance and that by rotating the, same the tensioirof the springs 16 can be adjusted.

Havingnow described my invention, what I claim as new is. I I I I I 1. In adev ce o-f'the class described, in

combination, a cylinder. means-for closingcylinder, means for reciprocating'the piston comprisingatIibula-r rod extending through the closure in'one-endQfthe piston,- a' valve in said piston, means fornormallyholding said valve in closed positionand means passing through the, tubular rod for controlling thefiow of liquid from. one side of the valve tojtheother.

both ends thereof, a piston slidabl'e in said; r o

2. In a device of theIclass fi dfifi combination, a cylinder, caps closing the ends thereof, a tubular rod passing through. I

one of said caps intov the cylinder a piston within. said cylinder and connected; to the end of said tubular rod, a valve] cooperating with said piston and adaptedto letliq'uid "pass in one direction only, a spring for normally holding said valve in closed position, means whereby a liquid may pass from one side of the piston to the other in the direction opposed by the valve, and means extending through the tubular rod for controlling the last named means.

. In a device of the class described, in combination,- a cylinder. caps closing the ends thereof, a tubular rod passing through one of said caps into the cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and connected to the end of said tubular rod, said piston having a. central opening provided on one side with a. valve seat. a bracket secured to the side having the valve seat. a valve cooperating with said seat, a spring abutting its ends against said bracket and said valve and tending to hold the latter against said seat whereby liquid will be permitted to pass through said piston in one direction only, means permitting liquid to pass in the opposite direction, and means passing through the tubular rod for adjusting the said last named means.

i. In a device of the class described, in combination. a cylinder, caps closing the ends thereof. a tubular rod passing through one of said caps into the cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and connected to the end of said tubular rod. said piston having a central opening provided on one side with a valve seat, a bracket secured to the side having the valve seat, a valve cooperating with said seat, a spring abutting its ends against said bracket and said valve. and tending to hold the latter against said seat whereby liquid will be permitted to pass through said piston in one direction only, means permitting liquid to pass in the op posite direction, means passing through the tubular rod for adjusting the said last named means. and a pipe opening into said cylinder at ,two saa ced points near one end thereof whereby t e movement of the piston will be accelerated near the end of its movement.

5. In a device of the class described. in combination, a cylinderQcaps closing the ends thereof, a tubular rod passing through one of said caps into the cylinder. a'piston within said cylinder and connected to the end of said tubular rod. said piston having a central opening provided on one side with a valve seat. a bracket secured to the side having the valve seat. a valve cooperating with said seat, a spring abutting its ends against said bracket and said valve. and tending to hold the latter against said seat whereby liquid will be permitted to pass through said piston in one direction only, means permitting liquid to pass in. the'opposite direction. means passing through the tubular rod for adjusting the said last named means, a pipe opening into said cylinder at two spaced points near one end thereof, whereby the movement of the piston will be accelerated near the end of its movement, and means for adjusting the effective opening through said pipe. 6. A door closer, comprising in. combination, a cylinder, :1 cap secured to each end thereof, a tu-bularrod extending through one of said caps, a stuiiing box for making a tight joint between said cap and said rod, said tubular rod having its outer. end threadedly connected to a yoke piece, a rod slidably connected with said tubular rod, a stuffing box on the outer end of said tubular rod and cooperating with said slidable rod, a piston within the cylinder connected to the inner end of said tubularrod, a valve in said piston for permitting a liquid to flow in one direct-ion only, means for" permitting a liquid 'to flow in the opposite direction. said means being adjustable by means of the rod that is slidably connected with the tubular rod.

7. A door closer, comprising incombination, a cylinder, a cap secured to each end thereofla tubular rod extending through one of said caps, a stuffing box for making a tight joint between said cap and said rod, said tubular rod having its outer end threadedly connected to a yoke piece, a rod slidably connected with said tubular rod, a stuffing box on the outer end of said tubular rod and cooperating with said slidable rod, a piston within the cylinder connected to the inner end of said tubular rod, a valve in said piston for permitting a liquid to flow in one direction only, means for permitting a liquid to flow in the opposite direction, said means being adjustable by means of the rod that is slidably connected with the tubular rod, and tension springs connecting the yoke with one of said caps. r

8. A door closer, comprising in combination, a cylinder, a cap secured to each end thereof and adapted to close the same, one of said caps having a hinged portion and a pair of lugs formed integral therewith, the other cap having a central threaded stud with an axial opening therethrough, a tubular piston rod passing through the opening in said stud, a nut cooperating with said stud and adapted to form therewith a packing box. a piston within said cylinder and threadedly connected with one end of said piston rod, and a yoke piece connected to the other end, the last named end extending through said yoke piece. a nut'threadedly connected to said extending end, a rod slidable within said piston rod and threadedly connected to said last named nut, a pair of telescoping tubes joining the lugs on the cap and the yoke, springs within said. tubular members, a valve insaid piston, yielding means to hold the valve in closed position, means to permit a liquid to pass through the piston in a direction opposed to said valve, and means operated by the rod Within the tubular pistonrod for controlling the last named means. i

9. A door closer, comprising in combina tion, a cylinder, a cap secured" to each end thereof and adapted to close the same, one of said caps having a hinged portion and a pair of lugs formed integral therewith, the

other cap having, a central threaded stud with an axial opening therethrough, a tubular piston rod passing through the opening in said stud, a nut cooperating with said stud and adapted to form therewith a packing box, a piston within said cylinder and threadedly connected with: one end of said piston rod, and a yoke piece connected to the other end, the lastnamed end extending .end thereofi r g r g 10. A door closer, comprising 1n 'comblnameans operated by the rod within the tubular piston rod for controlling the last named means, and a tubular member opening'int'o the piston at two spaced pointsnear one tion, a cylinder, a piston Within the cylinder,

caps for closing. the ends of thecylinder, a.

tubular piston rod extending through one cap and having its inner end connected to the piston,liquid in said cylinder, a valve in said piston, said Valvebeing yieldinglyr held in place and adapted to let theliquid pass in one direction only, an opening through which the liquid may pass in the direction opposite to that iii-which it is permitted to pass by the Valve, means comprising a bar passing through the tubular piston rod for controlling the extent of said opening, means for pivotally securing said cylinder to a door frame, "means for con meeting said piston rod with a bracket'secured to a door, and spring means tending to maintain the door in'closed position,

In testimony whereof I aflix my'si nature. LEONIDAS D. WV ST. 

